Where's the restoration at?

Been so hectic busy with work and arranging events that I have neglected the blog a bit.  New Sailing on Elbow Grease episode is being edited...but till then I can say that the boat does not look like a half eaten fish anymore, but actually resembles a boat...

...aft panels are on, now time to sand and then turn the boat over.

Let's frame it

Some progress at last...

 the aft frame, transom back bone and hog has been replaced...now we are getting somewhere

Pre Party Progress Report

It's New Year's eve and taking stock of time spent restoring Extra 688 left me a bit ashamed that the tally is standing on a mere 4 hours of work done so far. New Years Resolution Guideline, speed up the restoration and get on the water.

Here is a brief progress report before the the first festive cork is pulled from the bottle and wine is poured and glasses clinked.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Merry Xmas

Merry Xmas to all.

Here is the next episode of Sailing on Elbow Grease

Work in progress

started removing the aft hull panels that was rotten

Or should I actually say, very slow progress due to still working this time of year...hope to pick up speed between Xmas and New Years

Now on youtube

I have started a youtube channel to give some more insight into the restoration process.

Here is the first episode in the series

 

Rotten, Forgotten or Rubish

What do you look for in buying a boat for a restoration project? Well it all depends on how extensive you want the restore project to be...


 Is it just to get on the water on a budget

• look for a boat where you do not have to glass or replace entire panels

Is it for the pure joy of rebuilding a boat

• The sky is the limit, get any boat

Do you have a deadline for when the boat should be in the water, eg Mirror World

• Look for a boat with mainly cosmetic damage

Depending on these questions, here is what I do:

1.  Inspect the wood on the boat to see if there is any rotten areas

• Generally poking you car key into the wood (when the current owner ain't looking) will give you an idea if the wood is hard and firm or soft and squishy.
• If there are rot present, will you be able to replace the panel or if it is so small enough patch, do an invisible patch.
• if the bulkheads or Hog is rotten, I would not go there, since you will have to rebuild almost the entire boat.
• Be sure to look inside the watertight chambers, the inside can sometimes give you great insight into the wood condition (Take a torch along)

There was a 30cm x 20cm hole in the boat,
Patched it using marine ply, step joint and
epoxy.  The seems were later taped with
firbre glass tape for additional strength

Holes in hull plus some rot in the stringers.
 Luckily it ends just before the bulkhead,
so only a small panel needs replacement

2.  Are most of the fittings present and in working condition

• One of the most expensive items, except the sails, are the various pieces of hardware.  Even if it is old, but still in working conditions, it will save you a lot of money.
• eg a small block can cost on avg R200 ($20)

3.  Sails

• Another expensive part to sailing is the actual Sails.  Like the engine of a car, they are your main propulsion.
• Look for crisp clean sails that still have some stiffness to them...if they look like an old handkerchief, walk past
• eg.  New sails for a 12ft boat would come in, depending on material, between R2500 and R5000 ($250 - $500)

Even thou the hull was in a state of neglect,
all the fittings were present and in good working conditions,
so well worth restoring on a budget

4 .  Hull Number/Measurement Certificate

• First prize would be if the boat comes with a measurement certificate, but in the older boats, this seldom happens, since somewhere during the last decade or two the owner lost it.
• Second prize would be a hull number. With this you can determine when it was built and have some insurance that it was built from the class plans.  This is however not an indication that the boat is class legal and will measure.

This boat had so much potential.  Only cosmetic damage to the hull that could be
 fixed over a weekend or two. BUT, no hull number, fittings and very old sails.

Next step - Where do I find a boat???

The more the merrier

Which type/class of boat do I buy?

Well, this seems to be an easy question, but it has more variables than you think. So you will need to give some thought on how and where you are going to sail before you can decide on one or two designs.

Just a few variables/questions to consider:

1.  Do you want to sail single handed or two up

• Getting crew can sometimes be tough, but if your wife or kid is into sailing...that is the cherry on the cake

2. Are you going to race or cruise

• If you are going to race, it would e best to find a boat, depending on your questions that is well represented at you local club

3. What are the local conditions you will sail in

• Choose a boat that suits your local sailing conditions:
• Protected waters - eg Enterprice, Mirror, Sprog, Extra, Dabchick, Laser, etc
• Sea - eg Hobie Cat, Dart, Mosquito, etc

4. Which boats are sailed on your local water

• Sailing with similar boats is more fun and you will have more comradery, people to help you tune/rig the boat and be on the water more often.

5. How many sails do you want?

• This might depend on your skill level and whether you will sail solo or two up.
• Main, Jib, Spinnaker?

6. How big is your garage/work space...this is an important one

• one needs at least 0.5 - 1 meter space around the boat to work with ease and a certain degree of comfort.  Moving a boat around can take up a lot of time and man power.

Once you have answered the questions above you should have a better idea of the boat that will suit your needs best.  And then it is hunting time to find the boat in the classifieds or club notice boards.

All masked up

Yesterday I was busy in the garage on the Extra and a neighbor walked past and popped in to see want I was doing...

Since I was all masked, gloved and goggled up while I was working with paint stripper, he thought there might have been an Ebola outbreak in the neighborhood.

We got talking about my boat projects and soon he asked the questions I hear so often:

1.  How do you select the type of boat

2.  What and where do you look for when acquiring a boat for a project.

Simple questions...might be, but we chatted for a considerable time on boats, wood, etc.

In my next post I will answer these two simple questions...will try to be brief

Extra Extra, hear all about it...

The Extra Dinghy is not well-known outside of South African Sail circles and there is not a lot of information on the boat on the internet, which is a shame, because it is an awesome 12ft single-hander.

Here are a few blurbs from various sites:

Extra Facebook Group:

The Extra sailing dinghy is a primarily, single-handed, two-sail dinghy sailed competively in South Africa.

Imperial Yacht Club:

This exciting type is definitely not for the fainthearted.

Technical Info:
LOA:   12FT
Beam + Overhang:  1440mm
Minimum Weight: 55 KG
Sails: Main & Jib

images from CKD Boats

Now Hiring

The Extra dinghy is in the garage, most of the hardware stripped and ready for sanding.  Now I must just follow my own advice...Get Someone Else to Sand

Hired help? YES PLEASE

As I grew older and "wiser", I have learned that sanding can break ones enthusiasm , the momentum of a restoration and even worse ,your back.

.